September 12, 2018

Trump Targets ICC/PLO

“The Trump administration on Monday threatened tough action against the International Criminal Court [ICC] should it try to prosecute Americans for alleged war crimes in Afghanistan and said the PLO’s office in Washington would be closed for seeking to punish Israel through the court.” (Reuters)

“The Palestine Liberation Organization, or PLO, was first founded in 1964 during a summit in Cairo, Egypt. The organization’s initial goals were to unite various Arab groups and create a liberated Palestine in Israel. Over time, the PLO has embraced a broader role, claiming to represent all Palestinians while running the Palestinian National Authority (PA).” (History channel)

“The State Department [also recently] announced that the U.S. would no longer provide any funding for the United Nations Relief and Works Agency, which runs hundreds of schools for Palestinian refugees, dozens of medical clinics and food assistance for half the population in the Gaza Strip alone. The Trump administration called the agency ‘irredeemably flawed,’ but left it unclear how fewer schools, less healthcare and more hunger would aid the cause of peace."

Los Angeles Times

From the Right

The right supports the moves, arguing that the ICC intrudes on US sovereignty and that the Palestinians are not negotiating in good faith.

“The International Criminal Court is one of those unaccountable multilateral organizations beloved by President Obama. The ICC prosecutor now threatens to undertake an investigation of the United States for war crimes in Afghanistan... [National Security Adviser John Bolton offered] a swaggering, make-my-day speech asserting the sovereignty of the United States and warning the ICC: Don’t tread on us."

Power Line Blog

Regarding the PLO, “It would be hard to identify a more overdue reality check in U.S. foreign policy... this isn’t to be vindictive but to show Mr. Abbas and the PLO that they can't continue to underwrite anti-Semitic textbooks and anti-Israel terrorism without consequences. If the Palestinians want to be treated with the respect of a peace partner, they have to first show a desire for peace."